


Heartbeat

by prettybirdy979



Series: Trope Bingo Fills [5]
Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-14
Updated: 2013-07-14
Packaged: 2017-12-20 04:21:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/882886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettybirdy979/pseuds/prettybirdy979
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin has no luck. Finding your soulmate requires at least a little bit of it. He's resigned himself to therefore never finding them.</p><p>He forgot about their luck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heartbeat

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the Soul Bonding/ Soulmates square on my trope bingo. It ran away with me.

Martin had no luck. He never won prizes, he never got sudden windfalls and he always got to the bus station just as the bus left.

So he had resigned himself to being a part of the unlucky twenty percent of the population who never so much as saw their soulmate. After all, the ever lucky Douglas hadn’t managed to meet his and Carolyn hadn’t met hers until she had agreed to fly a pair of pilots on a short trip.  

No, Martin was always going to have the white bondline around his left wrist that signified he was unbonded. It was fine really. He didn’t care.

Of course, Martin never factored in the luck of his soulmate into his thinking.

*********

The flight deck was silent for a moment after Martin stammered out his invitation to Theresa.

‘Ok, so... it’s not what I was thinking of-’

Martin’s face fell. ‘Oh God, I’m so sorry, I should never have aske-’

Theresa held up a hand to interrupt him. ‘No, but it’s not bad’ A shy smile appeared on her face. ‘We can go tomorrow?’

Martin’s face lit up. ‘Really?’

‘Sure.’

Maxie’s voice called out from the cabin. ‘Theresa!’

Theresa stepped up close to Martin’s chair. ‘See you later.’ She said and she placed a small kiss on Martin’s cheek.

Time stopped. Martin could hear his heart beating in his chest, could feel the moment he became aware of another heart’s beat beside it. He barely registered Douglas’ soft gasp or Theresa’s lips leaving his cheek so caught up was he in the feelings of his life shifting. He raised his gaze to meet Theresa’s; hers one of awed curiosity that contrasted with his awed horror.

‘Theresa.’ He whispered.

‘Martin.’ She replied, lifting her left wrist up without thinking and holding it in her right hand. Martin mirrored the action, feeling the painless heat of his bondline changing from white to the blue of the newly bonded.

‘Captain.’ Douglas said in a cautious tone. ‘We need to prepare for landing.’

Reality crashed back into Martin. He could feel Theresa’s confusion at his sudden panic and oh God, he could _feel her confusion_.

Martin might have gotten himself caught in a feedback loop of confusion and panic if two outside forces hadn’t inferred at that moment. Maxie, frustrated at his sister’s delay, called for her again and Douglas with his long knowledge of Martin had spoken.

‘Theresa? Would you mind leaving? We have to land the aeroplane.’

Theresa blinked. ‘Yes, yes of course.’ Martin was slightly relieved to hear she sounded as dazed as he was and she must have seized on that relief as it became the much less paralyzing subject of their feedback loop. ‘I must take Maxie to school but Martin, I will see you tomorrow.’

The panic welled up in Martin again but he fought it down. ‘Yes, yes, okay, fine, yes.’ She giggled a bit at his stammering and left.

‘Well.’ Douglas said. ‘Martin. I do believe you are no longer in need of a bobsled.’

Martin whimpered.

********

He could still feel her.

If it hadn’t been for that, for the thumping of a heart beside his and the phantom emotions slipping randomly into his mind, Martin might have believed it was all a dream. But it was nearly six hours later and he could still _feel her._ Although the thumping of her heart had quietened down as he left the airfield which had terrified him, it had become stronger in the last half hour which was somehow reassuring.

Martin took a deep breath and the doorbell rang. He checked his watch and frowned when he realised it was nearly midnight.

‘Martin!’ One of his roommates, Alison, called up the stairs. ‘It’s for you!’

Confused, Martin dragged himself out of his bed and down the stairs to the door. Alison was lingering in the hallway, watching for him.

‘Here he is.’ She said. ‘Hey Martin, you didn’t tell us you had a girlfriend.’

Martin blinked. ‘I do?’

Theresa poked her head in the door. ‘May I come in?’

‘Theresa!’ Martin suddenly realised the reason the new pounding in his chest had been getting louder was because she had been getting closer. To him.

‘Martin. May I come in?’

Martin floundered for a moment. ‘Oh yes, yes, sure. Come in. Please. Please come in.’

‘Thank you.’ Theresa moved until she was just on the limit of Martin’s personal space, her eyes never leaving his. It took Martin a moment to realise his heart’s pace had quickened not hers.

‘I’m just going to go back to my computer and leave you two alone. And you’re not listening to me, okay. Martin, maybe take her to your room?’ Alison rambled beside him.

‘Huh? Oh. Yes. My room. This way.’ He indicated up the hallway and with a small smile, Theresa proceeded up it. Martin met Alison’s gaze with wide, shocked eyes. She smiled, then gestured up the hallway.

Martin scampered after Theresa.

********

‘I’m really sorry, it’s not much but-’ Martin said as he entered his room.

Theresa cut him off. ‘I love it. Is that a model of the Lockheed McDonnell 312?’ She pointed at a model on Martin’s far bedside table.

‘Ah yes.’

‘I didn’t realise they made models of those anymore.’  She sat on Martin’s bed to get a closer look and Martin’s heart jumped. She looked back at him with a sly smile and he blushed.

‘They...don’t. I really love the model and the kits on ebay were so expensive I just got some wood and made one myself?’

He could feel her delight. ‘That is incredible. You are a man of many talents, Captain Crieff.’

Martin’s blush deepened. ‘Why are you here? Sorry! I’m not being rude but how did you find me?’

Theresa patted the bed beside her. Martin reluctantly sat down. ‘Simple. I used your phone book to look for your address. There are not many Martin Crieffs in Fitton and then I found Icarus Removals.’

Martin groaned. ‘Look, I can explain-’

‘You run a business in your spare time? I am impressed.’

‘Really?’

Theresa brushed her left hand across Martin’s cheek and his bondline sparked. He twitched his hand and she smiled. ‘Yes. You are impressive.’

‘I’m a nearly broke pilot living in an attic and running my own business because I’m not paid, well, anything to fly. Theresa-’

She cut him off. ‘You are not paid? Now I am even more impressed. You have much courage to continue your dream with so many obstacles.’

Martin stared at her. ‘I want to kiss you.’ He blurted out. ‘Oh God, I’m-’

‘I want to kiss you too. Perhaps we should try it?’

She leaned in even as Martin stammered. ‘We haven’t even been on a date yet, we just met and I’m-’

She cut his protests off with a kiss. ‘We will go on a date tomorrow. Tonight, we will kiss and I will sleep on your couch and it will be fine.’

Martin looked at her, protests on his lips but the look in her eyes and the frantic beating of her heart beside his own convinced him. ‘Okay.’ He whispered. ‘But I’ll take the couch.’

‘If you wish.’ She leaned in and kissed him again.  


End file.
